Tribune Co. subpoenaed in Blagojevich probe

December 11, 2008

Tribune Co. disclosed today that federal authorities have subpoenaed documents from the company as part of their expanding investigation into charges that Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff schemed to get members of the Chicago Tribune's editorial board fired.

"As we've said before, we will fully cooperate with the government in its investigation into Gov. Blagojevich and his administration," said Gary Weitman, Tribune Co. spokesman. "As this is an ongoing criminal investigation, we will have to decline further comment."

Federal authorities have alleged that Blagojevich -- angry over editorials suggesting he be impeached -- threatened to withhold state money for Wrigley Field renovations unless members of the newspaper's editorial board were fired.

A series of secretly recorded telephone calls showed Blagojevich allegedly plotting in recent weeks to pressure the Tribune Co., which owns both the ballpark and the newspaper.

Sam Zell, chairman of Tribune Co., acknowledged in an interview Wednesday on CNBC that the FBI had contacted him. Zell has declined requests from the Chicago Tribune for an interview.